The invention relates to a torque transfer device, which is also known as a freewheeling decoupling clutch, for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, truck, bus or agricultural utility vehicle, having a torsional vibration damping unit and a decoupling clutch having at least two clutch elements that are connectable to each other, wherein a first clutch element of the decoupling clutch is permanently connected non-rotatingly to a flange section of the torsional vibration damping unit and a second clutch element of the decoupling clutch is coupled to and works together with the flange section by means of a freewheeling mechanism. In particular, this torque transfer device is intended for use in a hybrid drivetrain of a motor vehicle.
Torque transfer devices of this design are known already from the existing art. DE 10 2011 087 334 A1 discloses in this connection, for example, a hybrid module for a drivetrain of a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine and a transmission, where the hybrid module operates between the internal combustion engine and the transmission and has an electric drive, a decoupling clutch and a freewheeling mechanism. The decoupling clutch and the freewheeling mechanism are provided parallel to each other, each of them transmit torque from the internal combustion engine in the direction of the transmission. The freewheeling mechanism transmits torque coming from the internal combustion engine in the direction of the transmission, and disengages when there is torque in the opposite direction. A portion of the torque generated by the internal combustion engine, which is transmitted by the freewheeling mechanism, can be adjusted to set a torque transmissible by the decoupling clutch, so that the vehicle can optionally be propelled by the internal combustion engine or the electric drive or simultaneously by both of them combined.
In other words, hybrid systems are already known from the prior art in which the electric machine/electric motor is positioned behind the internal combustion engine and in front of the transmission. The separating element (decoupling clutch), which optionally connects the internal combustion engine to the power train/drivetrain, is supposed on the one hand to transmit the traction and drag torques of the internal combustion engine, on the other hand to enable compression-starting the internal combustion engine when starting the engine from electric driving mode.
Moreover, conventional friction clutches are also known which are designed for maximum engine torques. In most cases, these systems then have an additional starter for the internal combustion engine.